We truly cannot claim ignorance of the viral audio note released after the recent attack on Igbide. The voice gave a description of the carnage and avowedly suggested that there would be a revenge attack on Emede to such magnitude that can never be imagined. It said it would be from end to end of the community. We cannot pretend to doubt that that must be the mood in Igbide right now.
The attack on Igbide was also a revenge on the earlier attack on Emede in which Clinton not only led the destruction but made a video of it that humiliated Emede, mocking them as cowards.
The Clinton-led attack on Emede was clearly in vengeance of an earlier abduction of some Igbide people and the attempt to raid Igbide town by Emede. Sadly, we understand that the monarchs of both communities communicated with each other to abort the actions but were overwhelmed by their youths and town union leaders.
If nothing is done to forestall the promised counter attack on Emede, it might occur sooner or later, next year or several years from now, depending on how soon they are able to mobilise their arsenal. If that happens, it should be expected that Emede too will plan a further revenge. And, the spiral will continue.
On the central and eastern flank, we must acknowledge that Oleh must still be bitter about the killing of their 14 in a disputed land between them and Ozoro. They have accused Ozoro of the dastardly act. The leadership of Ozoro has severally denied any involvement. Oleh is not convinced, pointing to the words of the Ovie of Ozoro in yet another viral video in which he suggested readiness for war.
So, while we must hail the monarch and people of Oleh for their fortitude so far, we cannot be too confident that they have taken it just like that. They may also be thinking of how to revenge. If they do, Ozoro too will counter-revenge. And, the spiral will continue.
These scenarios are highly probable and suggest we have a huge task in our hands to break the circle of bloodbath in Isoko land. The repeated circles indicate that there are many things we are not doing right in the pursuit of peace.
For instance, the warriors have got so used to the setting up, after each attack, of toothless panels or commissions of inquiries. They know the pattern, that in various cases the findings and recommendations can be politically influenced, that they only serve to calm nerves after each attack and parties return to their pain or pride afterwards. They have come to believe as they say, “nothing dey happen.”
But, we must ask ourselves how the communities get the arms and supply of ammunition with which they attack. As we speak, I can imagine that there are series of clandestine activities in the communities towards pooling funds and reaching contacts for the acquisition and stockpiling of arms and ammunition for their next offensives. We should not discount nor deny this.
Therefore, the government and security agencies must now begin to keep a tab on the movements, communications and banking transactions of eminent persons, politicians, rich mean, town union leaders and youth leaders of the opposing communities to frustrate their drives. I understand that most of these things are done through Black Markets and in the dark but their disguises should not beat our government and intelligence.
On this, no one, including pastors, top politicians and even the monarchs themselves must be accorded any concession on grounds of high status. The fact is that many of them and many of the persons we hold in high esteem and think are peaceably and responsibly disposed all see such contributions as a matter of patriotism and responsibility to their communities. They can be disappointingly very complicit. My premise is if we can frustrate the acquisition or arms, we can frustrate the communities’ capacity to attack one another.
For further effect, the government and security agencies must be able to seek silent agents within the communities, with direct line of report to the authorities, on what they are hearing or seeing. Simply put, we must establish advanced intelligence and surveillance on all disputing communities.
Working with the IDU, the local government council must urgently develop a directory of the points of critical disputes across the land, be it intra community or inter community, and begin to assess the statuses of the conflicts to establish what the contentions are, the positions of the disputants, archival evidences and documents of claims, preceding judgements in courts and arbitration, how far the conflicts are being resolved now, whether still in court or arbitration and their latest positions with a view to determining the next point of engagement, so that the disputants do not take us unawares into violent self help.
Furthermore, if we must break the circle of bloodbath, we must ensure that justice is not only done but must be seen to be done. This means government and the security agencies must fish out the practical perpetrators, the real participants in the attacks and prosecute and punish them for the various violations of the law – from unlawful possession of firearms to arson, to willful destruction, murder and manslaughter involved in their acts. This not only gives the affected community a sense of justice and relief but serves as a warning and deterrence to other communities and persons.
I also propose that, at any point, each attacking community must be made to pay the calculable worth of the damage done to the other community for vengeance is not permitted in our laws and there can be no acceptance for acts of destruction on the pleading of communal crisis.
Yes, lives cannot be costed but properties and assets can. If they refuse to do so, the government can institute a process of suspending or withdrawing all forms of entitlements, development projects and social services to the offending community, including possibly withdrawing all forms of appointments to their citizens.
True, lands belong naturally to communities and families but in our land tenure system, our land use act states that every land belongs to the state, the reason why we go to get Certificate of Occupancy from the state.
So, I also propose that where a portion of land in dispute becomes the reason for intractable intra or inter community violence, the government should take over the land for games, fauna or floral reserve or state use for agriculture or industrial layout.
There are people that disagree, understandably, with this proposal on the basis of the law and legality of land ownership but what really is the value of a land which only serves for communities to keep killing one another? Society must therefore evolve with its times and challenges except we are sworn to the orgy of mutual mutilation and possible extermination.
I also propose that besides or rather than externally established panels, the government, working with the IDU, should constitute the panels with only members of the warring communities. Let them as principal stakeholders determine among themselves if they want to leave in peace or in perpetual war. Where they are unable to come to understanding with themselves, then the government has to apply all measures earlier outlined here.
Lastly, we must all as a people, especially our leaders, collectively show solidarity with with the victims’ families over their loss of loved ones or property. This should indicate to the war mongers that we are not with them and to the victims that we are with them. Such gestures go a long way in soothing pains because even without the concord of their communities, their pains can lead them to plans for personal revenge. Besides, we have seen that even the youths can also go outside the approval of their community leaderships to seek vengeance for relations and friends or just for the pride of their communities
My proposals might seem far-fetched. I do not lay any claim to absolute wisdom but, as they say, serious problems require drastic solutions. No sentiments. With the spate of attacks and counter attacks, we can no longer afford to side nor sympathise with any of the communities as they are in mutual guilt.
We cannot continue to stand by and gloss over the desolation coming upon our land. The victims are not only those killed or those who lost properties. In the recent melee, we all found that traveling on our roads, even for persons from other communities, became unsafe. What about the psychological trauma on our people, young, old, women and children? What about the disruption in education, farming and businesses? What about the discouragement of investments both by indigenes and foreigners for the development of our land? What about the image and public perception of Isoko in the comity of nations? There is so much at stake here.
Can’t we just resolve that enough is enough and take these and more hard stands, no matter whose ox is gored? Again, I ask, what can’t we share, what can’t we sacrifice, what can’t we do for the peace and progress of Isoko nation? What great values in development have those lands brought us except the wealth of sorrow, blood and death that we have kept unleashing on ourselves over the decades, just for the pride and ego of being strong and war-some communities?
The answer is yours…
I am Fred Edoreh, native of Umeh.